


Red, White, & Blue

by ChangeTheFatesDesign



Category: X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Gen, No I will not specify a time period, Some Fluff, Some angst, references to mistreatment of children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:54:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26466757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChangeTheFatesDesign/pseuds/ChangeTheFatesDesign
Summary: Crown Princess Jean Grey and Queen Emma Frost have been betrothed since they were young, but they got lucky and fell in love along the way. When a foreign emperor shows up to rain on their parade, can they find a way to defeat him before it's too late?
Relationships: Emma Frost/Jean Grey, Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier, Jean Grey & Charles Xavier, Jean Grey & Emma Frost, Jean Grey & Erik Lehnsherr, Jean Grey & Lorna Dane, Jean Grey & Nina Gurzsky, Jean Grey & Ororo Munroe, Jean Grey & Pietro Maximoff, Jean Grey & Scott Summers, Jean Grey & Wanda Maximoff
Kudos: 19





	1. Enter Apocalypse

19-year-old Jean Grey looked in the mirror for probably the 400th time since she got dressed to ensure she looked her best. The ruby red satin which hugged her hips before flowing freely around her legs, the golden flames embroidered on the gown which shone, the high collar which drew attention to her soft face and brilliant green eyes, and the juliet sleeves all lended themselves to the most favorable presentation of the future Red Queen when she was to meet her fiancée for the first time as adults. A polite knock on the door forced her to stop stalling and leave her room.  
Ororo “Storm” Munroe (18) was waiting by her door with Scott “Cyclops” Summers (20) a respectful distance down the hall. The sight of her long time friends made Jean smile despite the nervous pit in her stomach. Ororo and Scott both fell into step alongside Jean as she walked past them down the hall towards the ballroom. Jean stopped just around the corner from the main stairs down, hands shaking. Scott gave her a reassuring smile while Ororo placed a steadying hand on her arm. After taking a moment to breathe, she moved around the corner and began to descend the steps gracefully.  
All eyes were on the Crown Princess of the kingdom of Westchester as she reached the ballroom floor and joined her siblings to the side. Her step-siblings immediately added her into their discussion. Wanda (22) and Nina (13) praised her gown while Lorna (8) and Peitro (22) playfully teased her about meeting her fiancée. After a few minutes of casual discussion, Jean heard her father Charles’s voice inside her head calling her over to the other side of the ballroom. Jean then wove her way through the crowd to her fathers.  
“Jean, you look marvelous,” her vati, Erik, smiled. “Wouldn’t you agree, Your Majesty?”  
_Yes, I would indeed,_ a familiar voice like a mountain stream in the early spring floated gently into her mind.  
Jean froze, completely stunned by the young woman standing in front of her. Her face and eyes were sharp and clear. She was fair with nearly platinum blonde hair and blue eyes which glowed as she spoke in her head. A smile bracing like an autumn breeze rested on her face as the Whie Queen regarded her. She was wearing a brilliant white suit and heels which gave her an aura of authority. The pristine white pants highlighted her long legs which, when combined with the heels, allowed her to look any man in the eyes. The long white cape gave her an undeniably commanding look. Seeing her as an adult reminded Jean of when they first met.  
. . .  
Jean (3) wriggled out of her father’s arms so she could stand on her own. She bounced on her feet in excitement for a few moments before a worrying thought hit her. Turning to her parents, she clasped her hands together.  
“What if she doesn’t like me?” she asked quietly.  
“She’d be silly not to, little one,” her vati said softly.  
“Even if she doesn’t like you right now, she’ll have time to warm up to you,” her father added reasonably.  
Jean smiled and hugged her father and then her vati. Then she raced back to the window to watch for the arrival of the Frost family. Luckily for her, she didn’t have to wait very long for them to pull up to the palace. As a guard opened the door of the vehicle, Jean leaned forward to press her face against the window as she tried to see the princess.  
“Jean,” her father laughed, “first impressions, remember?”  
Jean scrambled back from the window and stood between her parents, smoothing out her red day dress with gold accents as the doors began to open. Holding her breath, Jean forced herself to stay still and be patient. Her patience paid off as, soon, a cold and imposing man entered with a nervous young girl behind him. Jean immediately wanted to run to the other girl and comfort her, but the man’s mind was loud and judgemental so she stayed where she was and waited for her parents to speak.  
“King Winston,” Charles said with a welcoming smile, “It is a pleasure to see you again. This is my daughter, Crown Princess Jean.”  
As the scary man’s attention shifted to her, Jean dropped into a careful curtsy like she had been practicing all week. She heard the edges of a mental conversation between the man and the girl but she tried her best not to eavesdrop. When she stood back up, King Winston motioned for the girl to step forward and she did.  
“This is my daughter, Princess Emma,” he said with no warmth in his voice whatsoever.  
Jean was taken aback by how pretty the other girl was. Being a year or two older than her, Jean had expected her to be taller than her but she hadn’t expected her to be so pretty. The other girl had brilliant blonde hair which rested around her shoulders in elegant waves and she had clever blue eyes. Her face was pale and sharp and she was a few inches taller than Jean. She was wearing a day dress that was a very pale blue with small white diamonds.  
Without even being able to read Emma’s mind, Erik recognized the girl’s discomfort and shot a questioning look at Charles.  
“King Winston, you must be tired after such a long journey,” Charles said, “Why don’t the three of us grown-ups head over to the lounge while we let these two become acquainted?”  
Without a word, King Winston looked at Emma who flinched almost unnoticeably before he nodded to Charles and the three adults left the room. Charles sent a wave of reassurance towards Jean before leaving.  
Jean gave Emma her brightest smile as she dipped into another quick curtsy, “It’s nice to meet you, Your Highness.”  
Emma smiled hesitantly and dropped into a deep curtsy, “It’s nice to meet you, too, Your Highness.”  
“Your dad is scary,” Jean whispered.  
Emma sighed, “Yes, he is.”  
“You’re not scary,” Jean said, taking a step closer to her. “You seem nice and you’re really pretty!”  
Emma smiled a genuine smile and laughed--a clear bright sound which warmed Jean’s heart--then asked, “Aren’t you a darling?”  
. . .  
“Did I startle you, darling?” the White Queen asked when Jean still hadn’t responded.  
She was so struck by her that she found herself unable to answer.  
Noticing Jean’s plight, her father spoke up, “Perhaps Jean could show you the gardens, Your Majesty?”  
“Yes, I could do that, if you like,” Jean managed to say, extending her hand to the 21 year-old queen.  
With a smile that made Jean’s knees weak, the White Queen took her hand in her gloved one and followed her lead out the side of the ballroom. They moved silently through the crowd which parted to let them through and they ignored the various hushed conversations which were obviously about the two of them. After passing Jean’s step-siblings, the pair finally reached the intricately carved double doors which would lead them to the expansive gardens where they used to play as children. They paused just outside the doors for a moment to take in the familiar sight.  
The three tiers of the gardens were in the English style and, because of this, the flora ran wild. Each tier of the gardens had small brick walls around the edges and each wall had various climbing plants covering them sporadically. In the corners of the first tier there were koi ponds symbolizing tranquility and peace. The second tier contained miniature bamboo groves in each corner to symbolize strength and growth. Finally, in the corners of the third tier, there were delicate white roses symbolizing eternal loyalty which were a gift from Jean’s father to her vati.  
. . .  
Jean (4) watched the sparkling koi swim around their pool, face scrunched up in concentration. Emma (6) lay next to her at the edge of the fish pond, basking in the sun with her eyes closed. The older girl spread her arms wide as she sighed before rolling over and looking at Jean.  
“Are you still trying that?” she asked, rolling her eyes.  
“Em, I’m focusing!” Jean protested.  
Emma gently poked Jean in the cheek, “Maybe fish are too dumb, Jeanie. I don’t think they can understand you.”  
Jean playfully swatted her hand away and couldn’t help smiling, “Father said that powerful telepaths could talk with some animals! These are the only animals I could find!”  
“Why don’t we go to the top level?” Emma suggested, “Maybe we can see some birds. I’ve heard birds can be pretty smart.”  
Jean beamed at her, “Em, you’re so smart!”  
She scrambled to her feet and pulled Emma into a quick hug before taking her by the hand and pulling her up the mossy steps to the third tier of the gardens. After taking a moment to catch their breath, the two climbed on top of the chairs to sit on the top of the fence together. The two diligently watched for birds for what felt like hours until they finally spotted a few searching the lawns for bugs to eat. Jean spent the next while trying desperately to psychically connect with them until Emma convinced her to take a break. Together, they sat and just enjoyed the view.  
“What do you think?” Jean asked, turning to face her friend.  
“Truly breathtaking,” Emma smiled softly.  
. . .  
“Your Majesty-” Jean began when the other woman held up a hand, stopping her immediately.  
“Please, darling,” she said amicably, “call me Emma. We’re hardly strangers, after all.”  
Jean smiled brightly, “Emma, would you like to see the view from the third tier? It is still truly breathtaking.”  
Emma nodded and Jean led her carefully up the mossy steps to the gazebo at the top of the third tier. As the gazebo was raised slightly, Wanda and Pietro often said that it was on the fourth tier, but Jean and the others argued that a few inches was not enough to make a fourth tier. Either way, the view was indeed spectacular as it captured the sprawling lawns and even the woods on the edge of the property. In the evening, the sunset was the best in all of Westchester --in Jean’s opinion, at least-- but it still held quite the view in the early afternoon.  
The two women sat quietly in the gazebo, enjoying the view, before Jean asked the question she asked each time they sat there together, “What do you think?”  
Emma looked out at the view but gave a new answer, “This view is nice, but I’ve seen one better.”  
“Oh? Where?” Jean asked, genuinely surprised by this break of routine.  
Without taking her eyes off the lawns, Emma said, “Quite near here, actually. In fact, it was just earlier today.”  
“What did it look like?” Jean leaned forward eagerly.  
“All red and gold,” Emma turned to face her again, “with the most beautiful green eyes and a very intelligent mind.”  
Jean flushed a deep red, but before she could respond, an explosion rocked the ground and knocked them off their feet. As soon as they started to fall, she reached out with her mind and used her powers to slow their fall. Emma jumped gracefully to her feet almost immediately after they hit the ground.  
“Jean!” Emma’s skin shifted as she knelt by the fallen princess and suddenly it looked like her skin was made of diamond. “Jean, are you alright?”  
As she got shakily to her feet, Jean’s eyes widened in horror, “I’m fine, but that came from the palace! I have to find my family!”  
Emma took her by the hand and they ran off towards the palace together. They were stopped before they reached the doors.  
“Your Majesty. Your Highness. We cannot allow you to run into danger,” Ororo said firmly as she and Scott blocked their path.  
Emma drew herself up to her full height and glared at the two guards, “As Queen of the kingdom of Boston, I command you to step aside lest you start an international conflict!”  
Ororo and Scott looked at each other for a moment before Scott looked imploringly at Jean. When Jean’s gaze remained fiery, Scott sighed.  
“At least allow us to lead the way,” Scott compromised.  
Emma looked to Jean, who nodded, and the four of them rushed into the palace. The state of the ballroom nearly stopped Jean in her tracks. Half of the far wall was completely gone with rubble covering over a quarter of the entire floor. Some guests had been knocked out and were lying crumpled on the floor while others had fled to the second floor. The heirloom chandeliers which had been in the family for four generations were shattered on the floor. Blood pooled around many of the fallen guests and some blood spread even to the second level. Standing triumphantly in the hole that used to be the far wall was a tall bald man with deeply tanned skin wearing complex blue armor. Behind him were four beings in unique sets of armor on horseback, and further back there were ranks upon ranks of troops in more simplistic blue armor.  
“I,” the man in front declared with a proud smile on his face, “am Emperor En Sabah Nur of Genesis. This kingdom is now mine and you are all my subjects!”  
“Like hell we are!” Pietro shouted from the second floor as he pulled his goggles over his eyes.  
“We will never bow to you, tyrant!” Wanda cried as her hands and eyes began to glow red.  
Jean watched in horror as the twins sprung into action. Wanda threw chunks of rubble at the emperor while Pietro started to run. None of the rubble hit the emperor as one of the four beings behind him blocked each one without any difficulty or seemingly any pain. Pietro managed to actually reach the emperor, but the other man grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the floor. His head connected with a sickening crack before he was lifted up and slammed down again with a second horrific crack. Wanda let out a battle cry and launched herself from the second floor, crimson energy surrounding her. Their parents called out for her to stop, but she was too far to stop now. Another of the four beings flew into the air and crashed into her, sending her flying into the back wall which she hit with a cry of pain before falling towards the ground. Luckily for her, this time their vati was able to slow her fall by controlling the metal of her belt, bracelets, and the metal lining in the soles of her shoes.  
This action drew En Sabah Nur’s attention to the kings who were stationed on the second floor in front of the two remaining children. Nina and Lorna hid behind their parents, trying desperately to stay calm before their powers got out of control. While he was distracted, Ororo and Scott snuck across the room and out the front door where they then began to attack the ranks of troops from the side. Ororo called down storms of lightning to strike down the invading forces while Scott blasted rows of troops with his optic blasts. The four beings on horseback dismounted and raced over to try and stop them, and a voice entered Jean’s head.  
_Jean, Your Majesty, if the three of us hit him with psychic energy bursts like we have practiced, we might be able to do some damage!_ Her father’s warm voice sounded in her mind.  
Jean and Emma looked at each other and began their assault. The three telepaths each placed their fingers against their temples, closed their eyes, and sent out powerful concentrated blasts of psychic energy at En Sabah Nur. He staggered for a moment before putting up a shield of psionic energy. Suddenly none of their strikes were landing. Jean opened her eyes for a moment and saw the destruction as well as her battered siblings lying broken on the floor and something inside her snapped. With a scream of rage, an immensely powerful burst of energy like a bird made of flames radiated off of her as she sent the energy at the emperor. As the fiery energy hit the shield, it disintegrated before their eyes.  
“Who was that?” En Sabah Nur looked around with genuine curiosity in his face until his eyes landed on Jean. “Ah,” he said as his eyes lit up, “you.” He turned to the four beings who had just knocked out both Ororo and Scott, “Horsemen! The telepath in the red dress!”  
Emma shifted to her diamond form and planted herself firmly in front of Jean, “You will not lay a hand on her!”  
“I will do as I please!” En Sabah Nur declared as two of the horsemen split from the group and picked their way through the rubble and the guests --some of whom were beginning to wake up-- until they reached the two women.  
“Stand aside,” the tall, thin woman said coldly, “before I let War here have more fun.”  
Emma opened her mouth to speak, but Jean placed a hand on her shoulder, “No, Em, no one else needs to get hurt today.”  
Before Emma could argue, Jean stepped in front of her and walked over to the two Horsemen. With a cruel smile, the woman took Jean by the arm and led her over the rubble and guests to En Sabah Nur’s side. Once she was at his side, he reached out and traced his fingers along her jaw with a small smile on his face.  
“And who are you, my dear phoenix?” he asked.  
“Crown Princess Jean Grey of Westchester, Your Imperial Majesty,” Jean said calmly as she clasped her hands together to stop them from shaking.  
“Won’t you make a pretty pet, Princess?” He purred, stroking her hair for a moment.  
Jean felt her family and Emma tense significantly. Every metal object began shaking gradually more violently. She did her best to mentally reassure them before the powerful other man noticed. Reluctantly, the rattling of metal calmed. Even so, Jean slowly removed her earrings and placed them on the floor where they immediately flew to the second floor into her vati’s hand.  
En Sabah Nur raised an amused eyebrow at the action before leaning in and asking in a low voice with a sick smile, “Does someone object to your leaving, my dear phoenix? I can deal with them, if you’d like.”  
Jean forced herself to stand her ground as she shook her head and lied, “No one you need to worry about, Your Imperial Majesty.”  
En Sabah Nur searched her eyes for any hint that she was lying, but Jean kept her expression guarded. After a few moments, he nodded in satisfaction and turned to his Horsemen. He waved his hand in a circle before turning on his heel and walking back out of the palace, the ranks of remaining troops mimicking the action. The Horsemen formed up around Jean so she had nowhere to run and then they led her out as well. Once outside, the four Horsemen remounted. En Sabah Nur also mounted his own bone white horse before reaching a hand down towards Jean. With one last longing look back at the damaged palace, Jean took his hand and climbed up to sit behind him on the eerie stallion as they then rode off towards Genesis.  
Jean, the Emperor, the Horsemen, and half of the troops--the other half remained in Westchester--rode for days. They stopped in towns which began to get smaller and smaller until they were stopping in farming villages with less than ten houses each. Once they passed the small farming villages, the towns slowly grew larger and more grand until they reached the gates to the inner city of the Imperial Capital of Genesis. By the time they reached the gates, Jean had been unable to contact Emma or her father in over three days' time. Before then, she was reaching out to them each night to reassure them that she was still alive. She nearly cried when she couldn’t reach them anymore, but she refused to show any weakness around her captors.  
. . .  
Emma (7) and Jean (5) had been playing with Jean’s miniature tea set in her room when something changed with Emma. She fell silent and stared intently at her cup of pretend tea like the secrets of the universe could be found there. Jean tried to reach out to her mind but still didn’t have the strength to do so. Instead, she stood up and crossed to Emma and sat back down. She looked her in the eyes the best she could with Emma still fixated on her cup.  
“Em?” she asked gently, “What’s wrong?”  
Without looking up, Emma shook her head, “Please don’t ask…”  
Jean wrapped her arms around her friend and rested her head against the older girl’s shoulder, “Then I’ll just sit here with you.”  
Emma leaned her head against Jean’s gently and the two young girls sat quietly for a few minutes before Jean realised that Emma was crying. Even as the tears were trickling down her face, the blonde made no sound. Jean did her best to project comforting thoughts in hopes that Emma would catch them, but she said nothing out loud. After a bit, Emma fiercely wiped the tears from her eyes and used her napkin to dry her face.  
“I can’t let my father see me cry,” she whispered sadly to the younger girl who still sat with her arms around the older girl. “It would be a sign of weakness.”  
“You can always cry with me,” Jean whispered back.  
Emma smiled weakly at her, “I know, Jeanie.”

. . .


	2. Welcome to Genesis

Inside the gates, Jean’s eyes were immediately drawn to the ostentatious fortress which loomed menacingly over the city. All sharp edges and darkness, it looked like the type of place only a supervillain would reside in. Once she adjusted to the presence of the fortress, she did her best to take in the rest of her surroundings. The city was sprawling and dull with the only colors coming from the eyes of the citizens. Speaking of the citizens, it was clear to Jean that these people had little to no experience with telepaths as their thoughts were loud and difficult to avoid reading. Though she tried to not read their minds, some thoughts slipped through as they passed through the farmer’s market near the center of town.  
_Oh no, they’re back,_ a young woman with a basket of fruit thought as she plastered a smile on her face.  
_They brought back another one? Poor thing,_ an old man sitting behind a stall further back shook his head.  
“Your Imperial Majesty?” Jean asked as they were approaching the fortress, “I’ve heard that you’ve had other...pets before. Is this true?”  
En Sabah Nur swiftly dismounted the horse and lifted Jean up and off as well, “Perhaps. Does that upset you, dear phoenix?”  
Jean internally winced at the nickname but externally schooled her features into the very image of calm, “Only if you mistreated them, sire.”  
He smiled broadly, “Not at all! Ask any of my people and they will tell you I am beloved by all!”  
Jean knew--thanks to their passing through the market earlier--that he was either lying or delusional, but she also knew she couldn’t say anything about it. Instead, Jean held her tongue and nodded. She followed the emperor up to and through the immense doors into the ominous fortress.  
The stone walled entry led directly into the scarcely guarded throne room. She wished that the lack of guards could make her feel better about the whole situation, but she had a feeling the reasoning was that they could handle themselves without the interference from any guards. If anything, the lack of guards made her feel more trapped than before. Either way, the guards weren’t the only concerning part of the room. The eyes in the large paintings of the Emperor seemed to follow her and the ones with him and--she had to assume--his previous “pets” were somehow...off. The “pets” were smiling, but their eyes were all either crying for help or glazed over in defeat. Jean couldn’t help but stop and wonder if her portrait would soon join the others on the cold grey walls.  
“Admiring the portraits, dear princess?” En Sabah Nur came up beside her and placed his hand on the small of her back.  
Jean took a few steps forward so he wasn’t touching her anymore then turned to look him dead in the eyes, “I’m wondering why you have taken me from my home. If you think I will sit quietly and be your plaything, well, you’ll have to find out just how wrong you are!”  
The man laughed, “Oh no, my dear, I chose you because of your fire, not despite it! When we met, I sensed great potential in you. I have brought you here to develop it to your fullest potential. There was no chance of that happening back with those fools you called family.”  
“Once I’ve reached my ‘full potential’, will you let me go?”  
“If that is what you wish, but I doubt you will choose to. None of my previous pets have chosen to leave even when given the chance. Now, come,” he turned and gestured to the horsemen who had dismounted and followed them into the fortress, “Death will show you to your room.”  
The tall, thin woman with pale skin and hair like midday shadows from earlier stepped forward and took Jean by the arm. She led the crown princess down staircase after hallway deep inside the building. The longer they walked, the more concerned Jean got. Finally, they reached a room which looked like two designers had been tasked to make the same room with different styles with one designing a cell and one designing a guest suite.  
“Your room, your highness,” Death said with that unearthly rasp Jean had immediately disliked the first time she had heard her speak.  
Jean nodded silently and decided to explore her new space for any place that would be good for either escape or hidden storage. As soon as she stepped through the door it was shut behind her but, oddly enough, she didn’t feel any more trapped than she did before. What she found while investigating were several drawers for storage but nowhere the Emperor was unlikely to find and no other way out except the only door. The one window was too small for her to fit through as well as being barred. She let out a frustrated sigh and sat down on the bed and decided to get a sense of the people (and minds) around her.  
. . .  
Jean (6) and Emma (8) raced through the halls and down the stairs until they reached the study, completely out of breath. The younger girl flashed her best friend a brilliant grin which the other telepath reciprocated before they turned to Jean’s father. He shook his head good naturedly and looked at the two princesses.  
“What were you two up to this time?” he asked them.  
_Em, you tell him!_ Jean thought.  
_He’s your father, Jeanie!_ Emma thought back.  
With an exaggerated sigh, Jean turned back to her father and began to explain their latest adventure through the gardens as a faint pink crept onto her cheeks. This time, they were pirate queens sailing the seven seas in search of the fabled mermaid kingdom. The gazebo was their port and the lawns the waters. In the end, they were unable to find the mermaids before lessons though they stayed out as late as they dared which was why they had had to run as fast as they could to get to lessons on time.  
“I’m sorry you couldn’t find the mermaid kingdom, but I’m glad you two have managed to keep up your perfect attendance unlike some students,” he said.  
Though he didn’t name any names, Jean immediately knew he was referring to some of her step-siblings rather than some of the other mutants he tutored in his spare time. Jean mostly didn’t mind that her father spent almost all of his time between ruling and teaching, but sometimes she did. She knew her vati didn’t mind shouldering more of the ruling duties so that her father could spend more time with his students, but she knew that her step-siblings minded their father’s busy schedule more-  
_Jean?_ Her father’s voice cut through her thoughts.  
Snapping back to reality, Jean’s eyes widened, “Yes, father?”  
“I was saying that we would start with a simple yet very useful exercise. I need you two to reach out with your minds and sense who is around,” he explained for what was apparently the second time. “Remember, don’t pry into the minds. Only learn what you can from the surface.”  
. . .  
Jean closed her eyes, placed her hands against her temples, and reached out with her mind. After a brief scan of the general area, she focused in on the fortress. There were more guards than she had seen so far with minds practically blank. The sheer lack of emotion from the guards--even at such a distance--sent a shiver down Jean’s spine but she shook it off. After the guards, she found the kitchen staff and the groundskeepers. They had mostly normal minds with occasional flurries of anxiety in the more active staff members. Then, there were the Horsemen. Each of the four minds was vastly different with only a few shared notes of loyalty and cruelty. Without even considering trying to pry, Jean gleaned enough information to know that these four beings were no longer able to feel empathy and possibly never had. Finally, there was En Sabah Nur himself. His mind was powerful and dark, insane but intelligent, yet held no psychic ability. That was a relief, at the very least, to know that she had some power even he didn’t have.  
Jean opened her eyes and lowered her hands, clasping them together and resting them on her lap. Taking a deep breath, she turned and looked at the figure she had sensed approaching her “room”.  
“What is it?” Jean asked, determined to take control of this conversation before it even began.  
The guard faltered for a split second before returning to her blank state and simply stating, “I am to bring you to the seamstress.”  
With a firm nod, Jean rose and the guard barely had time to open the door before she reached it, “Then let’s go.”  
Jean set her shoulders, lifted her chin, and strode out of the cell giving off a sense of control and power she didn’t actually feel. The guard scrambled to catch up, before maintaining even strides to keep pace with her as if she had had to do this in the past. The two women made their way back up through the fortress and out to the streets. As they walked, Jean noticed several blank minds around the city and she knew that there were other guards watching them. Unfortunately, while the emperor was definitely cocky, he wasn’t stupid. He knew she would run if given the chance. He knew she wasn’t anywhere near broken. Finally, Jean and the guard reached the high-end seamstress shop and Jean made sure that she and not the guard was the one to open the door and enter first.  
“Ah, you must be the one the emperor sent!” a bright older woman smiled looking Jean up and down. “What a lovely creature you are! But those clothes…” her eyes turned dark, “most definitely have to go…”  
The bright woman snapped her fingers and two younger women who looked nothing like each other appeared. One was paler than anyone Jean had ever seen while the other was so dark she was nearly the color of ink. Both of them rushed forward in unison and pulled Jean back where they appeared from. Once back there, they continued to pull her farther back into a workroom where they let go of her and crossed their arms.  
“Out of the dress,” they commanded. “Now.”  
Jean was torn. It would be nice to get out of the same dress she had been wearing for several days by this point, but the dress had been a gift from her fathers.  
She set her jaw and stared the two women down, “Only if I get to keep it afterwards.”  
They waved their hands flippantly, “Sure. Just change!”  
Jean took off her gloves then her dress, changing into the skintight suit she was offered. The pale woman circled her, taking measurements as she went while the dark woman rifled through a selection of designs and fabrics. After some time, the pale woman joined the dark one with her measurements. They were clearly engaged in a psychic conversation as they debated the merit of each design. Jean wondered how many people in the area knew that they were psychics. It hardly mattered, but Jean decided it would be good to know as much about any other telepaths as possible. Given how the two made sure to keep up the appearance of merely whispering to each other and not communicating silently, she figured they almost definitely made it a point to hide their powers.  
“That one,” the dark woman said matter-of-factly and the pale one nodded in agreement.  
As if on cue, the bright woman from the front entered the workroom. The other women showed her the winning design and she clapped her hands together in excitement. Together, the three of them became a veritable whirlwind of fabric, pins, needles, and scissors. Jean’s head spun and she had to close her eyes as they moved fast (though, she noticed, not inhumanly fast). In what had to be record time, Jean was wearing an extravagant blue ball gown with her hair in a neat crown braid. There were many layers to the classic “princess” skirt with the bodice hugging her form tightly. It was the kind of dress made for standing and smiling with no room for eating or running. The blue was desaturated and the dress somehow seemed disappointed, as if she wasn’t worthy to wear the dress but the dress knew it couldn’t complain. Jean knew it made no sense, but she knew she might have just been on edge since she realized the dress could almost function as a straightjacket and was likely meant to.  
“You like?” the bright woman phrased it as a question but her tone made it clear that it was a statement.  
Jean tilted her head from one side to the other as she weighed up the dress before responding, “It definitely serves its purpose.”  
The bright woman smiled, but the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. Handing her old outfit back to her in a bag, the three women ushered her out of the workroom and back to the front of the shop. Jean’s guard exchanged a few words with the older woman before turning for the door. Widening her stride, Jean barely reached the door first. Moving in that blue dress was like trying to move through deep water flowing the other way.  
The walk back was much more uncomfortable than the walk to the shop. Maintaining her earlier pace proved exhausting and Jean decided to walk slower in order to save some energy for the homecoming ball. The guard seemed caught by surprise at this but managed to slow down to once again match Jean’s pace. Her new dress caught the attention of many people as they walked and Jean had to actively work to avoid reading their thoughts. Again. Part of her wondered if everything in this kingdom was designed to make her tired. Maybe it was. Maybe En Sabah Nur had ordered the dress and designed the route to tire her out so she would be less likely to fight back. If that was the case, he was going to find out the hard way how wrong he was.


	3. Homecoming Ball

Finally, the two women reached the terrible fortress. Jean was brought back to her “room” where she sat and planned for about an hour. She decided it would be best to keep her rebellions and acts of control small so the emperor wouldn’t decide to break her. So, she sat patiently and practiced her telekinesis. She moved increasingly small objects short distances before returning them. It was a simple exercise but a good one for improving mental dexterity and fine control. The exercise was another one her father had taught her and Emma when they were younger. After some time, Death arrived at her cell and opened the door without a word. Jean rose and followed the unnerving woman to the ballroom.  
As they walked, Jean found herself studying the other woman. She was very tall (at least six feet), inhumanly thin to the point where Jean was shocked she couldn’t see the outlines of her bones yet with defined muscles, skin so pale she looked blue, and neat dark black hair cropped just below her chin. From her position behind Death, Jean couldn’t see the woman’s eyes but she remembered there being something wrong with them.  
Finally, they reached the ballroom. The massive room was all warm greys and creams with accents of gold. Jean was taken aback by the stark contrast in colors between the ballroom and the rest of the fortress. The slate blue banners and other decorations were the only reminder of where she was. There was something gauche about the room, as though the decorators hadn’t spoken to another person in quite some time. En Sabah Nur saw them enter from the front of the room. He smiled widely and strode across the room without increasing his pace beyond an unhurried walk. Once he reached them, he looked Jean up and down and nodded in satisfaction.  
“Sofie has done it again!” he announced. “Now, dear phoenix, are you excited to meet the rest of my court?”  
Jean shrugged, “I know nothing about them, but I’m willing to give them a chance.”  
“I suppose that’s all I can ask for,” he chuckled.  
The emperor took her by the hand and led her over to the side of the door. As soon as his grip loosened, Jean gently pulled her hand free and forced herself to keep her hands calmly by her side. Death retreated to the back corner of the room furthest from the door and across from the orchestra. They had been standing there for less than five minutes when the guests began to arrive. Each wave of guests was wearing cool tones with minimal accenting and almost all of them complimented the emperor on his new “pet”.  
“What a lovely creature!” one man in what looked like a military dress uniform exclaimed upon seeing her.  
A woman with sleek brown waves and delicate freckles on fair skin tilted her head to one side and smiled, “Such a powerful aura. Well chosen, Your Imperial Majesty.”  
Comments like these continued and they never failed to make Jean’s skin crawl. Whenever anger flashed in her eyes, the guests would laugh as if she had just shared an amusing anecdote. Taking deep breaths, Jean managed to school her features into a practiced stunning smile. She had been faced with obnoxious guests at parties before, but at least then she had had back-up in the form of her friends and family. Now, she was alone behind enemy lines.  
After the last of the guests had been greeted, the emperor told her to go and enjoy the party. Wanting to get away from the man, Jean curtsied quickly and disappeared into the crowd. Moving through the sea of guests while wearing that dress was nearly impossible. Every few steps, another person would reach out and stroke her hair or feel the side of her dress. Each time, Jean took several steps away from them in order to get free, but that didn’t stop the next person to try the same thing. When they saw her, they didn’t see a human being or even a mutant. They just saw a new pet. A plaything. It made her stomach roil, but she kept the smile on her face. Jean made her way around the room once before settling down near the orchestra. She leaned gently against the wall next to a large window and just enjoyed the music for some time before the emperor approached her.  
“May I have this dance?”  
It wasn’t an invitation. It was an order.  
. . .   
“Emma,” King Winston began, “why don’t you ask the Crown Princess to dance?”  
Something about the way he said it made Jean (8) feel as though it were an order rather than an offer. Either way, Emma (10) turned to her and held out a hand with a pleading look in her eyes. Jean took her hand without hesitation and the older girl led her towards the center of the ballroom. The ballroom at Emma’s castle was large but only one floor with the second floor a library. Because of this, there was less space for dancing but it wouldn’t be a problem for the two girls. Not only were they smaller than the average guest, but the other guests smiled endearingly and moved to make way for the young princesses. Being so young they didn’t know many dances but, having taken dance lessons for a few years now, both girls could keep time and perform a box step pretty well.  
They had danced together before, mostly at Jean’s home, but there was something this time. Emma moved almost aggressively as she led Jean through the steps. For the first song, Jean just moved with her through the dance quietly and offered her a gentle smile. After that song ended, Jean closed her eyes and opened a channel of communication.  
_Em?_  
Emma stopped moving and cocked her head to one side, _What?_  
_Are you,_ Jean tried out a few words before settling on one, _...mad that you have to dance with me?_  
_Kind of,_ Emma confessed. _I like dancing with you, Jeanie, but I don’t like it when I have to dance with you. I don’t want my father taking this away from me like everything else..._  
Jean got an idea and took a step back, opening her eyes and holding out her hand, “Your Highness, would you like to dance?”  
Emma giggled and took her hand, “Yes.”  
The pair glided and twirled through the crowd barely in time with the music and they smiled all the while.  
. . .   
Jean reluctantly took the emperor’s hand and was pulled out onto the dance floor. The crowd made way for them, but seemingly more out of fear of consequences than fondness for the dancers. Either way, the pair quickly made it to the center of the ballroom. There they moved to the music, Jean flowing gracefully between the various steps in the choreographed waltz with the emperor moving without emotion. He hit each step correctly, but there was something mechanical about his movements. It was almost as though his mind was somewhere else, but Jean didn’t dare pry. Her rebellions needed to remain small, so she danced in silence. After their dance, he bowed and she curtsied before he spoke again.  
“You are a marvelous dancer, my dear,” he said. “We must dance together more often.”  
Jean shook her head, “I thought I was here to reach my full potential, not to dance.”  
“Why can’t you do both? Now, I must introduce you to someone very important,” the emperor took her by the hand and led her over to a lean woman with straight white hair and solid black eyes. “This is your Instructor, Instructor 6.”  
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Jean said even though she didn’t yet know if she meant it.  
 _You will speak to me telepathically, or not at all,_ a harsh voice cut through her mind as the Instructor’s expression darkened.  
 _And_ you _will not enter my mind without permission!_ Jean forced the other out of her mind and closed the connection.  
“Your pet,” Instructor 6 huffed, “lacks discipline.”  
En Sabah Nur gave her a grin which was decidedly too wide, “I know, isn’t it lovely? Since you’ve been introduced, my dear phoenix and I must return to the party at once.”  
And with that, they returned to the party. Realizing this opportunity was too good to pass up, Jean decided to learn anything she could about her hosts. She politely separated from the emperor and made her way around the ball, stopping in different circles to exchange gossip with anyone willing. Almost all of the guests were eager to hear gossip from Manchester and even the bit she had from Boston and so they were very willing to tell her anything she wanted to know. From one group she learned the hierarchy of the Horsemen (Death, War, Famine, and then Pestilence), from another she learned the nickname no one dared to use in front of the emperor (Apocalypse), and finally that En Sabah Nur has had five pets previously and also five Instructors (she also learned that each Instructor looked nearly identical to the others with the exception of body type). In exchange for this information all she had to tell people was the mysterious tragedy that befell the Frost family a few years back and a few antics of her brother Pietro. Jean decided it was quite a fair trade.  
At what became the end of her scouting mission, Jean was joined by Death who gave her a cold smile that held all too many teeth. This time, Jean could see her eyes and realized that there was no reflection in them. Death’s eyes were matte rather than glossy and that was unsettling.  
“Now, now, dear princess,” Death rasped in what was likely meant to be a sweet voice, “we wouldn’t want your mind to be influenced by mere rumors. Besides, the emperor has requested your presence.”  
Death placed a hand on Jean’s shoulder and guided her back to En Sabah Nur before melting into the crowd elsewhere in the ballroom. The rest of the party was filled with meaningless mingling (most conversations directed at the emperor except for the occasional guest Jean had already spoken with), more dancing (much to her chagrin), and the occasional snack plucked from the trays carried by the various kitchen staff members around the dance floor. As the evening wore on, guests began to trickle out back into the night. Each guest stopped to say their farewells to En Sabah Nur before departing. Some guests insisted on staying for far longer than Jean felt was really necessary, but eventually even the most stubborn of the guests made their way out of the fortress.  
Once the last of the guests had left, Jean was led back down to her cell deep inside the fortress. This time, the wardrobe which sat in the corner of the cell against the door was open. Jean walked into the room and looked at the newly filled wardrobe. Everything was in a neutral tone either grey or brown with the occasional slate blue except for one piece. Her red and gold gown. She moved that gown--which had been newly washed--to the front of the wardrobe and set to organizing the rest of the clothes from most tolerable to the ones she was determined to never wear. It occurred to her early on that these new clothes must be the work of Sofie the bright woman. She must have used the measurements taken earlier that day and then spent the entirety of the evening preparing the new wardrobe. Once she was satisfied with her work, Jean took a pair of pajamas with her behind the privacy screen and finally changed out of that stupid dress. Now dressed for bed, she placed the horrid dress in the wardrobe before crossing over to the cot and lying down. Somehow, despite every circumstance and against all odds, she fell asleep the moment her head hit the thin pillow. She didn’t dream.


	4. Finale

Jean woke up the next morning with the feeling she was being watched. Reaching out with her mind before sitting up, she confirmed that someone was indeed at the door. She got up and stood behind the door with her arms crossed, looking at the visitor who she quickly identified as the Instructor. Reluctantly, Jean opened up a channel of communication with the other woman.  
_What do you want?_ She asked in an admittedly aggressive way.  
_For you to learn some manners,_ came the Instructor’s cold response. _But for now, I will settle for you joining me for our first training session._  
Jean closed the channel and crossed to the wardrobe where she chose a cool grey top and pale blue pants. Stepping behind the privacy screen, she got dressed and put away the pajamas she had worn, all the while deliberately taking her time. Finally, she returned to the door and looked expectantly at the ageless woman. With a look of disgust, Instructor 6 unlocked and opened the door before turning on her heel and striding off. Jean purposefully kept her pace even and refused to speed up in order to match hers. After some time of marching down hallways and climbing up stairs, the two women made it to a large room with a bay window.  
The room was a cool blue-grey slate color with a black ceiling and floor which lended a drab and unsettling feel to the room. There was a window seat in the bay window but no other traditional furniture. There were several mannequins as well as training dummies spaced evenly along the walls and a small group of guards stood in formation in the middle of the room. Without even being told, Jean knew why they were there. They were test subjects for her. The thought left a sour taste in her mouth and a pit in her stomach.   
_They are going to charge you,_ Instructor 6’s voice sounded within her mind suddenly, _and you will stop them._  
Her Instructor crossed to the window seat and sat down, watching Jean expectantly. Even though Jean had only known the woman for a day, she already knew that there was no point in arguing and there would likely be a punishment for doing so. Despite the fact that the woman carried no weapons unlike the emperor, Jean got the feeling it was because her mind was the only weapon she needed. So, she stepped forward and settled into a more solid stance. Moving her hands to her temples, she nodded to the guards signaling them to begin.   
The guards moved in unison, and they moved fast. They wasted no time as they crossed the large space towards the telepath. Jean wasted no time, either. She threw her hands up and lifted her attackers in the air within seconds. The guards fought desperately, squirming and thrashing. Despite their best efforts, they were no match for Jean’s mind. She had been training for this since she was young.  
 _Not a bad start,_ Instructor 6’s voice entered her mind, sounding somewhere between impressed and disappointed. _More than I expected, but still far below my standards. Again._  
Jean took a deep breath and forced herself to remain calm and focused. She couldn’t let the other woman get under her skin. The guards returned to the center of the room after Jean lowered them to the ground. Both sides readied themselves for the next drill to begin.  
Over the next several weeks, Jean spent many hours each day in that room just training. She honed her telekinesis until she could freeze even something as small as a stiletto knife in mid air. If she was being honest, that was the type of training she didn’t really mind. Jean liked being able to defend herself on her own and freezing attackers in place wasn’t really harmful to any opponents and yet was very effective. It was the kind of technique she could see her father teaching her.  
Of the telepathic manipulation techniques she learned, Jean preferred confusion (albeit reluctantly). It felt wrong messing with the minds of other sentient beings (human or mutant), but it felt somewhat less invasive than the alternative. At least when their thoughts were scrambled those thoughts were still their own, unlike when she was forced to fully control their minds. The full mental control was the part of her training she loathed and dreaded more than anything else.  
At first, she had rejected the idea of even studying such a technique. Refused. Resisted. But each time she said no, the guards were punished on her behalf. All too soon, she caved. She would not be responsible for the suffering of others if she could help it. And so she learned to manipulate the minds of even the most intelligent, even the most stubborn, and even the most defended minds. Whether she liked it or not, by the end of the second month of her imprisonment, none in the empire could match Jean’s strength. Not even her instructor and, in theory, not even the emperor. Hopefully something good would come out of the endless work.  
It was the beginning of the third month when it happened. In the middle of the night, Jean awoke to a voice in her head. Not the harsh tone of her Instructor, but a gentle flowing voice tinged with warmth. A voice she had wondered if she would ever hear again. Emma’s voice.  
 _Jean, Jean can you hear me?_  
Sitting up in her bed, Jean placed two fingers against her temple, _Yes, I can. Emma, I’m so glad to hear your voice. Where are you?_  
 _Just outside the walls of Genesis and I’m not alone. Your guards, Storm and Cyclops, are with me as well as a mercenary we hired. He goes by the name Wolverine and is known for his strength and his healing factor. We’ve all been training for the past two months and we’re here to bring you home. I have to go for now, but I love you._  
 _I love you, too._ Jean blinked back tears as the connection was shut off.  
. . .   
Jean (13) sat at the edge of her bed and looked over at her best friend, Emma (15), who was still asleep in the second bed they had set up in Jean’s room. She was confused. Something was different between them but she couldn’t figure it out. Emma wasn’t really different, and yet in Jean’s eyes, she was. She was beautiful. Jean knew that, though, from the first time they met. But now she was a different type of beautiful. The way her eyes glittered when she really smiled, the way she tucked her soft hair behind her ear when she focused, the way she made Jean’s heart soar when she took her hand. Jean was relieved they were betrothed because she couldn’t stand the thought of her marrying someone else-oh. It hit her. A blush spread across her cheeks.  
“Good morning, Jeanie,” Emma yawned as she woke up at just that moment. “Everything okay?”  
“Em, I love you,” Jean whispered, folding her hands together tightly.  
“Aw, I love you too, Jeanie!” Emma smiled sleepily at her.  
Jean shook her head, “No, I mean I love you love you.”  
Emma was quiet for a moment. That one moment might have been the longest moment of Jean’s entire life. Then she got up and sat down next to Jean, taking her hand. She looked Jean in the eyes and gave her a real smile.  
“I was so worried you didn’t feel the same,” she admitted softly. “I never dared to dream you loved me too. I love you love you, Jean.”  
Jean pulled Emma into a warm embrace as tears welled up in her eyes. This, she decided, was probably the best day of her life so far.  
. . .   
That morning, Jean was summoned to the throne room. This was actually somewhat surprising as she usually was sent straight to the training room after eating breakfast. This was made even stranger by the fact that Death herself came to escort her. Carefully hiding her surprise, she dressed in her red dress and walked quickly, staying ahead of the other woman. Jean hadn’t had many opportunities to learn the full layout of the fortress during her imprisonment, but she could easily pinpoint the location of the emperor’s mind thanks to her training. She got a sense that Death was amused by her actions, but she refused to be led through the halls like some child. When they reached the throne room, Jean was confused by the two lines of people waiting to approach the emperor.   
“Ah, my dear, there you are!” En Sabah Nur called as they entered. “Just in time for the hearings to start!”  
“Why am I here?” Jean asked bluntly.  
“To help me determine the truth in each case, of course. I will be the judge and you the jury.”  
Jean grimaced. She had been asked to help deliberate on high profile cases before back home, of course, but never like this. For the next several hours, cases were presented and decided. Instead of tearing through the minds of the accusers and the accused as she was instructed, she just brushed each mind and took what information was on the surface. It still felt wrong, violating people’s privacy like that, but she decided that it was the lesser of the two evils. Jean hated every moment of the trials, it never felt like she was helping resolve conflicts but rather was damning at least one if not both of the sides of each case. The emperor was harsh and unforgiving. No matter the crime, the punishment was harsh. When the last trial was over, Jean breathed a sigh of relief and ran a hand through her hair. That’s when she noticed them. Four beings just outside the fortress.  
“Your Imperial Majesty,” Pestilence bowed deeply as she entered the room, “You have visitors. The White Queen of Boston and her entourage. Would you like me to show them in?”   
En Sabah Nur glanced at Jean who kept her expression indifferent before nodding to the horseman, “Let them in.”   
Pestilence bowed again and left for a few minutes before returning with Emma, Scott, Ororo, and the man Jean assumed to be the Wolverine. Emma caught Jean’s eye and nodded ever so slightly, and Jean didn’t have to read her mind to know what was about to happen. Pretending to brush a lock of hair behind her ear, Jean sent out a mental order to the guards telling them to leave. They obeyed without question, leaving the emperor his horsemen and Jean her friends. En Sabah Nur looked from the leaving guards to Jean to their visitors. Before he could speak, the strike team sprung into action and engaged the horsemen.   
Jean turned to the emperor with fire in her eyes, “Surrender now and you will be shown mercy.”  
He snarled and let out a roar as he thrust his arm out grabbing Jean by the neck and lifting her into the air, “You worthless child! You will die for this.”  
As his grip tightened around her throat, Jean fought back the nearly overwhelming urge to panic. Instead, she took a mental hold of his fingers and peeled them back. Finally, his grip was fully released and Jean fell to the floor gasping for air. As she got to her feet, she risked a glance back at her rescue party. The Wolverine was holding his own against War going hit for hit, Emma was dodging every blow Death threw at her as she worked to tire out her opponent, Scott had injured Pestilence’s leg and was maintaining the upper hand, and Ororo was hurling bolts of lightning at Famine who desperately leapt to the side to avoid them.  
In that moment, as she was distracted, the emperor lunged forward stabbing her in the stomach with the intricate dagger he always carried. A scream escaped her lips as she fell to the ground once again. Three voices called her name as the emperor stood over her, twirling the dagger in one hand.  
“I told you, my dear phoenix,” he smiled cruelly, “that you would die for this. It’s such a shame, too. You really were so beautiful and so powerful. We could have done such great things.”  
“I would never side with you,” Jean spat.  
With a sigh, En Sabah Nur held the dagger over his head above her heart and time slowed down. The dagger moved impossibly slowly through the air towards her and the screams of her friends became low noise. For a few moments, all Jean wanted to do was cry. She was going to die. But then, something inside her snapped. No. She might die today but, by all the stars in the night sky, she was going to take the emperor down with her!  
With a scream of pure fury, Jean thrust her hands out towards the man and a red energy like fire poured off of her and engulfed her attacker. Slowly rising to her feet, Jean kept up her assault as the emperor cried out in pain. She moved closer to him, forcing the emperor to take pained steps backwards. Once he fell backwards off of the raised platform the thrones were seated on, she placed one foot on his chest and pulled the energy back to her.  
“Yield.” It was nothing less than an order. “Yield or you will be the one to die this day.”  
After a few more tense moments, he spoke. “What,” he panted, avoiding her eyes, “what are your terms?”  
“You will take no more pets, you will create a proper legal system, you will no longer brainwash your guards, and you will withdraw your claim on Westchester. You will also call off your horsemen and allow my friends and I to leave unchallenged,” she stated firmly.  
“Horsemen, disengage,” En Sabah Nur called with defeat clear in his voice before turning back to Jean. “I accept.”  
Jean nodded and crossed to Emma who wrapped her in a gentle embrace and immediately tore her own coat to wrap around the redhead’s wound. Stopping only at the healer to tend to Jean so she could begin healing, the party mounted their horses and rode back for Westchester. They encountered no trouble the whole way back even when they reached the base of the soldiers En Sabah Nur had left behind in Westchester. Jean sat up straighter and addressed the army.  
“Your emperor demands you leave for Genesis immediately.”  
The commander looked at her suspiciously and Jean sighed. Using half of what little strength she had left, she took control of his mind and forced him to order his troops to leave. The effort nearly made her black out, but she clung desperately to consciousness. Finally, they reached the palace.  
Emma helped her down from their horse and the others flanked them as they entered the palace. They were met immediately by Jean’s fathers. The two men pulled her into a tight hug and all three of them allowed themselves to cry. After they reluctantly released her, they thanked the four others profusely. Next came Nina and Lorna who raced down the stairs to meet her. Jean was nearly knocked off of her feet by them as they practically tackled her. Finally, her family led her upstairs to where the twins were finishing up their recovery. After berating them for being so reckless that night of the attack, Jean pulled them into tearful hugs careful not to hurt them or herself in the process. Having seen her family, Jean was led back to the foyer where her rescuers waited.   
“Jean,” Emma said softly as she crossed to the other woman.  
“I know, Em,” Jean murmured as Emma cupped her face in her hands. “I love you, too.”  
Emma pulled her closer and kissed her delicately as if she was afraid Jean would shatter at her touch. As they pulled away, Jean rested her head on Emma’s shoulder and decided she could stay in her arms forever and be perfectly happy. She also knew in that moment that whatever came next, they could handle it together.


End file.
